Different Ways to Tell The Folks
by LF7
Summary: “I’m just glad we don’t have to pretend like we don’t know anymore. That is what you call hard. All the hushed voices and the sneaking around, let me tell you it get’s old. But, you should know all about that! I’m so glad it’s off my chest.” R&R Dasey.
1. Take 1

**So yeah, here's take 3. This is actually my favorite Take so far. Tell me if you liked it.**

**Read Bottom:**

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TAKE 3

Anyone who was a frequent visitor of the McDonald-Venturi household knew that the dinner table was always loud. A quiet table is a sign of death. Either that or something is really really wrong. So today when the table was quiet and all you could hear was the scraping of forks hitting the plates, and no one was dead, they knew something was wrong.

"So, who's gonna tell me what's going on?" George said looking pointedly at Derek and Casey. Derek shrugged and Casey scowled.

"Maybe if someone wasn't a big-headed _jerk_, nothing would be wrong." Casey replied.

"Maybe if someone wasn't flirting away with some random guy while her boyfriend was two feet away this whole thing could've been avoided." Derek smirked.

It was like watching a tennis game how the rest of the family's heads went back and forth from Derek to Casey. From Casey to Derek.

"Well, maybe he shouldn't have been acting like she had the Black Plague."

"Maybe he was trying to get his thoughts in check."

They weren't dumb, the family. Of course they knew they were referring to themselves. But, they didn't say anything for fear of another quiet table.

"Maybe he could've come to her and they could've got his thoughts in check together."

"Maybe that was really hard for him." By this time they were both out of their chairs leaning forward with an accusing finger.

"Maybe she's through with the whole relationship." Derek's eyes flashed with hurt when she said that.

"Maybe that's not something he wants to here." He whispered.

"Maybe it is."

"Maybe he was gonna tell her he loved her." All the forks on the table dropped to the plates with a big KLANG. Their jaws slapping the floor.

"What?" She said her voice breaking, ruining the whole 'maybe' thing.

"Maybe he was really really really nervous on how she would take it."

"Really?" Her hands were now positioned on her face in disbelief.

"Maybe he didn't know if she felt the same way, so he avoided her."

"Maybe that was stupid thing to do."

"Oh yeah, why is that?" He questioned.

"Because maybe she would have told him she loved him back."

His face lit up with joy. He had never been this happy.

"Maybe that's the best thing he's heard in his entire life."

"Maybe I've been feeling this way for a while."

"Maybe…"

"MAYBE!!" Lizzie interrupted. "You should lean over the table already and give her a goddamn kiss!"

"Lizzie!! Language!!" Nora said stunned.

"Maybe… that's a good idea." He said as he leaned over and did just that.

"Well, this is awkwardly surprising." Nora joked.

"Maybe not." George joked back. And they all laughed while Derek and Casey made out.

As if it were completely normal.

But, hey, maybe they already saw it coming.

Just maybe.

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**Hey thanks for reading this story. I hoped you guys liked it. I threw in that George thing, cuz i just love him. **

**REVIEW PLz. that button's not for SHOW!**

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	2. Take 2

**Okay, so this is TAKE 2 of Different Ways to Tell the FOLKS enjoy!**

**Thanks for all the beautiful reviews last time. keep 'em comin'**

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**TAKE 2**

What the HELL?. Typical response. Especially if you have just walked in on two of your family members making out. It was not only the siblings that walked in. No, they could probably handle that with a little threat of their lives. It was the entire family. There was no getting out of this easy.

Casey quickly pushed Derek off of her and slid down the couch as far away as she could.

"It isn't what it looks like!!" Derek reasoned.

"Oh it's not, huh? That's good. Because from here it looked like you two were MAKING OUT right on our family couch." Nora screamed laughing sarcastically.

"Okay, so it is what it looks like." Casey said as she looked down, trying hard not to make any eye contact. She knew her mother was extremely disappointed in her. I mean, Derek is her stepbrother.

"You and him…he…i…" Edwin stuttered looking absolutely confused. He sort of guessed he knew, but he didn't really think it would ever happen. I mean, he and Lizzie had joked about it. "And you…kissing…with the lips…and the…"

"Come on Einstein, Let's just go upstairs where we can learn how to put together real sentences." Lizzie said as she dragged him and Marti up the stairs so Derek and Casey could face their punishment alone.

Nora still had that astonished look on her face. She never thought this would happen. Didn't her daughter have more common sense then that? She had to have taught her better.

It was quiet for a really long time until out of no where a laugh was heard. All heads turned to the source. George. At first it was a little giggle, but then it was full out laughter.

"George! What is so fu-nny!" She stammered, stumbling on the end of the word funny because she was about to laugh. His laughter was very infectious, they all were giggling and they didn't even know why.

"Dad, what's so funny?" George just looked at Derek and pointed at him and Casey, and busted out laughing tears forming in his eyes.

ooOOooOOoooOOooOOoo

"Do you hear laughter?" Lizzie asked from their hiding spot.

"Yeah, that's not the reaction I expected."

"Well, is that good or bad?"

"Uh, both?"

Lizzie looked at him and shook her head, "Why do I even bother?"

ooOOooOOooOOooooOOoo

After 15 minutes of pure laughter with no real reason behind it for three of them, they finally quieted down.

"You have to admit, Derek and Casey together. That's just really funny."

"George, you have a very odd sense of humor."

"Yeah, dad. I agree." George just busted out laughing again.

"Do you see what I mean!! You're agreeing with Casey!"

"So, you guys aren't mad or anything. That me and Derek are…together?"

"As long as you don't keep making out on the couch we're all good."

"Oh, well that was easier than I thought." Derek said.

"Yeah, that was." Casey said. Derek leaned over to kiss her again, when Nora exclaimed,

"NO SEX!"

"OKAY!" George just busted out laughing again. He started walking away with Nora behind him mumbling, "Derek and Casey…haha….sex…haha!!"

"Well, Miss Case," Derek said leaning over her.

"What?" Casey said looking at him with a glint in her eye.

"That was one way to tell 'em." She leaned the rest of the way to meet his lips, and despite the rules they made out on the couch.

"Yes, it definitely was." She mumbled against his lips.

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**Hey so i had George laughing at the whole things cuz that's the kind of guy i pegged him for. it was funny to me. tell me if you thought it was funny... by reviewing!!**

**REad and REVIEW please!**


	3. Take 3

Story: **Different Ways to Tell the Folks**

Rated: **T**

Summary**: We had to tell them sometime. So we did.**

"What is it? What's wrong?" Good question. The kind of question any good parent should ask when their children calls them into a room so they could talk in "private". The kind of question any good step-parent asks when the two feuding step-siblings agree on something. The kind of question that scared said step-siblings into oblivion.

"Well, nothing's _wrong _really, just something's-"

"Weird."

"Weird." The parents repeated. And like any good parent they didn't question, for fear of the answer.

"Mom, George, something's happened."

"We've gathered that much." George said as he was trying to bury all those 'what ifs' his mind was coming up with.

"No, I don't think you have. Something has happened." The girl repeated.

"Happened?"

"Yes." The mother looked her daughter straight in the eye searching for a deeper meaning.

"Casey Marie MacDonald are you _PREGNANT_!!" Nora screeched possibly heard throughout the whole town. Her face red with anger, steam blowing out her ears.

"NO! Mom, God no, you know me better than that, don't you?"

"Oh! That's good." She said, breathing out a sigh of relief, and waited again for them to fess up. Like any good parent she immediately assumed the worst.

"Okay, Mom, here's the thing." The parents perched up. After 5 minutes of complete silence Casey says, "Something's happened." The parents returned to their before slumping positions.

"Oh my God, Casey! They know something's happened!" Derek cried out in frustration.

"Well, if you think you can do better you do it." She said pointing a finger at him.

"I will." The parents finally glad they were going to hear what they had been waiting for sat up in their chairs. "Nora, Dad." He looked at them and saw fear in their eyes, the same look that reflected in 

Casey's and his own eyes. "Um, Casey and me, uh, me and Casey." He let a sigh. "We-"He wagged a finger at Casey and himself. "Something's happened." He couldn't do it.

"Coward." Casey muttered under her breath. Derek gave her a look.

"You know what, screw it! Casey and me are going out."

Their parents looked at them with unreadable expressions. "Going out where, Derek?"

""UGH!"" They both turned in circles crying out in utter disbelief. "No, you aren't getting it. Casey and me are going out _together_. Dating. Boyfriend/Girlfriend." He explained.

When anything goes wrong with your child you immediately find out the source and destroy. Even if that means killing anything in your way. So when the well being of Nora's child was in question she immediately attacked the predator. Or in other words her loving stepson.

"WHAT! You can't date my daughter!"

"Well, technically I'm not his sister. I mean, we met only 2 years ago."

"Casey." Nora held up a hand to stop her from talking. "Derek, you can't go out with Casey. It's just… I'm not gonna let that happen!"

"Nora, why don't we go downstairs and cool off a bit?"

"No, you can't date my daughter."

"Why not?" Derek asked. "I mean, it's not incest. I…I looked it up."

"Derek, I want you to tell Casey, you can't be with her."

"What MOM! I want to be with Derek! I don't care about society." She pointed an accusing finger at her mother.

"No, Casey, you just think you want to be with Derek, because you fallen under his mysterious mystical charm." She explained waving her hands above her head to emphasize mystical. "But, as soon as he finds someone he thinks is better, he's gonna up and leave you like you've seen him do day in and day out, every day we've been here."

Realization spread across Casey's face as she slowly lowered her arm and a frown set upon her face. It was any good parents' job to point out the obvious and the maybe, the not so obvious. Derek noticed Casey's look and was quick to come to his defense.

"Nora, I can assure you this time is different." Casey looked up at Derek and he knew the tears were coming in soon. He grabbed Casey's arm looked her straight in the eye, and added, "I know because I've never felt this way about any girl before. I'm in love with her, Nora." He said to Nora while looking directly into Casey's eyes to let her know he was serious.

Casey beamed. "You are?"

"Definitely. I've been wanting to tell you for the past couple of months, but I just didn't know what you'd say. I guess I was scared."

"You shouldn't be." Casey stood on her tip toes and kissed him. Right there, in front of their parents.

"Casey-"

"No, Nora. I think he's serious." George finally said, everyone just now remembering he was in the room.

And like any good parent, they knew when to keep fighting, and when to back off, and let a good thing, be a good thing.


	4. Take 4

**Hey i know a lot of you wanted me to make the parents react angrier, because they seemed to okay with the relationship so I did the best i could with it.**

**Disclaimer: Incase i didn't do it b4- i don't own anything. Except a hat i bought at Disney WOrld.**

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**Try again… TAKE 4... ACTION!!**

"Crap! Crap! Crap!" Casey was freaked out. She had just come out of a store in the mall and had to hurry out quick before someone saw her. She was almost out of the food court when she saw Derek and his groupies in a crowd. She quickly turned around, but not soon enough.

"Casey!" Derek called out. Casey turned out and plastered a smile on her face. He scampered over followed by his crew. "Hey, what are you doing here?"

She just looked at him with wide eyes. She feared if she talked she would let something slip out that maybe his entourage didn't need to hear, they already knew they were going out, everyone but the family knew that, but this was something that was private. When she didn't respond Derek's eyes flashed with concern. She just shook her head as if to say, 'Don't ask me in front of your friends'.

"What's in the bag?" Instead of answering, again, she just moved the bag out of his way behind her back. "Okaaaay."

"Hey Casey, why are you here by yourself?" Sam asked. "Where's Emily?"

"Emily…Emily is… I don't… know." The crowd of hockey players started laughing, but were silenced with a look from Derek. Sam looked at Derek confused, Derek just smirked. He leaned down to kiss Casey and Casey being the sucker she was for his kisses melted right into the kiss and relaxed. As she relaxed Derek tore the bag out of her hands and pulled away from the kiss.

"Derek don't!" She looked at him tears threatening to fall. "Do not open that bag!" When he just looked at her she said, "You are gonna really wish you hadn't done that."

"Oh yeah?" He said. His friends had already begun a chant of "Open it!" and "Who wears the pants".

He reached his hands in the bag and pulled out the box. He looked down and the chanting suddenly stopped. "A pr…pre…pre…"

"-gnancy test." Sam finished for him sighing.

"Yeah!! Venturi, SUPER hockey player with the SUPER sperm!" They all started laughing. "You knocked up a grub!!"

"Well boys nothing to see hear, let's move on out." Sam ushered all the obnoxious hockey players.

"Great Derek," Casey yelled, crying, as she grabbed the test and put it back into the bag, "Now your friends all think I'm a whore!" She stomped off, but didn't get far before he grabbed her arm and spun her around. "What?"

"Casey, look I'm sorry, let's talk, okay?" They stared into each others eyes for what seemed like hours. Her eyes were starting to water.

"I'll see you at home, Derek."

ooOOooOOooOO

"Casey, open the door." Silence. "Casey open the-" The door flung open, "door." He finished.

"Um, can I come in?" He could tell she had been crying and that she wasn't going to start soon.

"Sure." She croaked. She sat on the bed and he pulled her computer chair so he was sitting right in front of her. "What do you want to talk about?"

"Casey, I'm not in the mood for games!"

"You think I am!" She stood up. "You think I'm in the mood for this so called game I like to call _life_! You act like this is your body! Like it's you who has to be the one to walk around with a huge belly. With all this evidence that I am in fact a whore! Which everyone will now know because you showed freaking half the world at the mall!! So I'm sorry to hear that you're not in the mood for games, Derek. I really really am." Fire shoots out her eyes as she glares at him, crying.

"So, you…you are pregnant?" Surprisingly calm after he was just yelled out.

Instead of answering she just cries. Her shoulder slumps down and she sobs. He stands up and grabs her arms and whispers in her ear. "It's okay. We can make it through anything."

"I'm sorry I'm pregnant. I didn't mean to, I know this is my entire fault."

"YOU'RE WHAT!!" They turn around to see their parents looking in at the door.

"LIVING ROOM! NOW!" George screamed. They all went downstairs and it was quiet for about 10 minutes.

"I was going to tell you dinner was ready, but maybe plans have changed." Nora said. "Like the one where you said you'd wait 'till you were married."

"Mom, I'm sorry it's just…"

"Who's the father?" She demanded.

"Uh-"

"Casey McDonald, who is the man that did this to you!"

"I don't…I don't…"

"You don't know?" Nora looked at her incredibly.

"Well, we haven't really talked about it. I just-"

"It's me! Me and Casey are going out and I got her pregnant." Derek fessed up.

It was George's turn to yell now, "What the HELL were you thinking?"

"I-"

"I'll tell you what you were thinking, you weren't!!" George interrupted. "I knew you were a little clueless, but I didn't think you were stupid. Going out with your sister, really." Derek put his head down in shame. There was no need to add in the 'step' he was in enough trouble already.

"Hey, well this is just as much Derek's fault as it is mine." Casey butted in.

"Oh, I know, I haven't gotten to you yet." George yelled. "Getting pregnant, Casey? I expected so much more from you! I really did! You are so irresponsible."

"Hey! You can't talk to her that way, you're not her dad."

"Exactly. I'm sending you to live with your dad." George freaked.

"Dad, calm the hell down!" Derek yelled at the same time Casey said,

"You're kicking me out of the country."

"No, we're just sending you to live with your father in New York."

"So that you don't have to deal with my problems. You don't want me anymore, mom? Because I got knocked up?" Nora who had been extremely quiet through this whole thing looked up and decided to speak. She knew that George didn't mean what he was saying; he was just letting out some steam.

"Maybe you're over reacting a little, George. Casey's a very responsible person she just did a very irresponsible thing and sending her to live with her father would only make things worse. Casey, we love you no matter what, but this is a little too much to handle."

"So what are you going to do?" Casey said tears streaming down her face. "I mean not much right? I'm going University of Toronto in 5 months, Derek too for his hockey, and I'm sure I could get daddy to help us out with money so we can get an apartment somewhere."

"It's not that I don't want you here, Casey. It's just-"

"Don't worry, mom, we can figure this out for ourselves, since your daughter having problems is too much for you to handle."

"It's not that it's too much to handle, it's just… first you're going out, and now you're pregnant. That happened all in like two seconds." Nora quietly answered.

"We've been going out for a year." Derek announced.

"Well, thanks for the update." She breathed out. There was so much tension building in the room it felt like it was choking their necks. "It probably wasn't the best way to find out you two were…are together."

"I know we didn't handle the situation great, but I figured you guys just got it. I mean, everyone else knows!"

"Oh! That just makes me feel great. Everyone but your own mother knows." Nora said sarcastically. "I thought we could talk about anything, Casey?"

"We can! Just not that." Casey started crying, really really hard. It was making everyone feel uncomfortable, mainly George and Derek. Derek put his arm around Casey's waist and whispered in her ear, trying to calm her down.

"Listen Casey." George started. "You can stay here; no one's kicking you out. I'm just…a baby…and dating!" He scoffed. "That is a lot to take in in 5 minutes."

"Yeah, I know. But, this huge for us too, and you guys being freaked out freaks us out. We really need our parents right now. We don't need to be judged. We just need security. Someone to tell us it'll be okay."

"Oh, Casey." Nora came up to her and hugged her. "My baby is having babies! Oh! You grow up so quick!" They were both crying and reminiscing to each other.

"Damn hormones!" Derek and George said together as they walked out of the room and left the crying hormonal women in the living room.

As this wasn't the first way they wanted to tell their parents, I guess what they say is, it's better late than never.


	5. Take 5

**TAKE 5**

It was quiet. And then it wasn't. We could hear the pounding of their feet on the landing upstairs, which could mean only one thing. There was a classic Derek-Casey showdown going on. Over the years we learned to live with it. You either ignore the fighting or be part of the fighting. There was no way out. Unfortunately, it was something the whole family had become comfortable with, that we overlooked exactly what the fights were about. Me? Well, being the observant one I just watched. It was actually amazing how amusing their fights had become.

"I just can't believe you!" She screams at the top of the stairs, her face red as she turns her back away and starts stomping down the stairs. "Liz Bailey. Really?"

"Casey, you are not even listening to my side of the story."

"Maybe it's cause I don't want to hear your side of the story. Ever think of that?" She screamed and continued her journey down the stairs.

"Casey, I do not like her!" She turned around and rolled her eyes. "You are a filthy liar!"

"I'm not lying! UGH!" Derek lets out this exasperated cry of disbelief. "You are like the hardest person to get along with. I'm trying to have a conversation with you, and you keep cutting me out."

She stops at the bottom of the stairs and says, "Ok, maybe this won't work."

Derek nods his head, "You're right. Why don't we just talk after you've calmed down."

"No, Derek. _This_," She pointed to herself and him. "won't work. Us." His face turned a really pale color, almost as if he had just seen a ghost. "We tried it out. It was fun. We're done." She walked over to the door, but was stopped when Derek grabbed her arm.

"Casey, please tell me you are not breaking up with me?"

With that, dishes were broken, jaws were dropped, food was everywhere, and everyone was paying attention. Our faces were that of total shock, disbelief, and maybe a little bit horror, but could you really blame us?

"Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying." Casey said trying to put on a brave front.

"Casey, babe, there's no one I want more than you. You know that. Why are you freaking out on me? She just came up and talked to me and then before I knew it she was kissing me."

"Oh, so you're gonna pull the whole I wasn't kissing her, she was kissing me thing? You are impossible." She opened the door and scampered out.

He followed screaming, "I'm not pulling anything!" And that was all we heard before they were out of hearing range.

"Oh, my god!" Nora freaked.

From what I can tell, things were never going to be the same.

And we were never going to overlook their fights _again._


	6. Take 6

**Hey! Okay so I did it again!! I didn't have the heart to make the parents angry at them in this one. It just screamed a happy go-lucky story, but I promise the next one is going to have the parents reacting a little more realistic. I promise!**

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**TAKE 6**

"Max?! Are you serious?" Derek freaked. "You're not going out with him, again!" He couldn't believe his ears. Max was captain of the football team, therefore his enemy at all costs and Casey was going on a date with him. This was just insane. He grabbed a dinner roll and stuffed it in his mouth.

"Mmhm!" She smiled happily. "Besides I'm single." She looked straight into his eyes and smiled.

"No, Casey, you're on a break. That means technically you're still in a relationship." He tried to reason.

"UH, no it doesn't." Lizzie spoke up. "I think if Casey and whoever it is that she was dating-"

"HA!" Casey laughed as Derek rolled his eyes. "The people have spoken."

"The people are on crack." Derek spat.

"Well, Derek, Max is a very nice guy. I like him." George added putting in his two cents.

"Dad, come on. You like anyone who will sit through your trip down memory lane of the days in the band with "George of the Jungle"."

George hesitated answering, considering the thought for a second, resulting in not saying anything at all.

"Well, I, for one, think Max is an up-tight, pre Madonna, football-head!" Edward decided passionately, not even half-believing what he was saying. But, he more than anyone, knew that a happy Derek meant a happy life and that was all the reason he needed.

Derek raised his glass to Edwin, "Couldn't of said it better myself, Ed."

"Edwin!" Nora scolded. "It's never nice to talk about someone that way." Edwin looked down to avoid her gaze. "Even if he is an airhead."

The whole family, including Casey, burst into laughter. Casey tried to stifle her laughter into her hand. She waited until everyone's laughter died down. "Mom! Max is a totally sweet, down-to-earth guy. Unlike so many other guys I have dated who were totally arrogant and completely full of themselves." Derek rolled his eyes. _Always the over exaggerator. _Derek thought.

"I think that if Casey wants to give Max another try it's totally and completely _her_ business. And she should attempt to keep it private." Lizzie advised.

"Well Sorrrr-y! If my love-life is not interesting to you, Liz."

"I think that is a brilliant idea." Nora agreed, turning to Casey. "Casey. Stop telling people about your love-life." Then she turned to Derek, "Derek. Stop butting in to Casey's love-life."

"But-" Casey and Derek started.

"NO EXCEPTIONS!" George demanded.

It was quiet for a while at the dinner table, but the family soon found a new topic to talk about, except Derek. He just couldn't let this pass. Casey and Max. He could except anyone, ANYONE, else but, Max. Max was just so….so…. exactly like Derek. And that scared him. Because he could really see Casey with him.

"So then Ms. Andrews was all-"

"I just think that if you're on a break you are technically still in a relationship. You're just taking some time off to think." Derek interrupted.

Edwin frowned, "Well no, she didn't say-"

"Derek, leave it alone." Casey yelled, looking around awkwardly. "I can do whatever I want. I'm _single_!"

"YOU ARE NOT" Derek jumped out of his chair. "SINGLE!" Noticing everyone was staring at him with huge eyes he added, "You are on a break."

Everyone at the table just stared at him in shock, wondering why he cared so much. Derek uncomfortably sat back down and took a deep breath. "What I'm trying to say is you could have told him you were going out with another guy or at the very least explained it to him." Casey, still stunned, said nothing.

"Casey, maybe it would be mature to let him know you're done with the relationship." Nora looked at her. "You should tell him."

"Mom, it's more than that. It's complicated." When everyone just stared at her with judging faces she gave in. "FINE! But, you asked for it." She looked straight into Derek's eyes, and folded her hands on the table. "Derek, I'm going out with Max tomorrow night because I believe our relationship has come to an abrupt halt. No break can fix it."

Derek cringed. "It was just a break. We are supposed to get back together."

"I'd really love to do that, but" Tears began forming in her eyes. "Derek, you really broke my heart. And I… I just don't want to feel like that again. I can't. I won't." She said nodding her head. Derek ran over to her.

"Casey, no. If I ever…I never…I'm just sorry." Casey just turned her head. "I didn't know I made you feel like that."

"You did." She cried. "And it hurts. It hurts so bad." Derek wrapped her in his arms and rocked her.

"WAIT!" George freaked, unfreezing the rest of the table. "What in the world just happened? I thought you were going out with Max?"

"Well,"

"See, Casey and Derek were dating, then they went on a break, so Casey decided to go out with Max, which only made Derek more angry, because he didn't think they had officially broken up." Marti explained in a bored tone. "And now from the looks of it, Casey is going to forgive Derek for whatever it is he did and get back together."

"How in the world did you get that out of….THAT!" Nora questioned the 8-year-old.

"Because," They all looked at her expectantly. "Well, I'm Marti!!"

And then they all went back to their food, because that made absolute sense.

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Hey thanks for reading! If you liked this story you might want to check out my other stories **Honesty**, **Catastrophie in Aisle 3**, and **The Truth**

Thanks, Laura!


	7. Take 7

**So this is a little different. It's more along the lines of Different Ways to Tell The Kids. It's cute. I liked it. I hope you did. And if not check out my new story, sequal to the Truth,** All We Need Is Love?

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**Take 7**

Okay, so first we'd like to set a few things straight. We're not dumb! Quite the opposite actually. George is a lawyer, which means he went law school, okay? **LAW SCHOOL**. That is seven long years of college. So I think it's safe to say we have the smart thing covered. And we're not oblivious. Maybe at first, but we caught on. It could be how close they started getting, the fights becoming more forced. Who knows? I mean, Casey suddenly willingly wants to go to Derek's games; Derek flipping out if Casey can't make one game. It was bound to make at least one light bulb go off in our heads. And when asked why he cared so much he stuttered,

"If she doesn't come it well mess up the balance. Yeah, mhm, I mean, this is the Playoffs."

We let it slide.

Or maybe when their fights stopped being about the remote and more about the people the other was dating.

No, it definitely had to be the time we caught them watching television together at 3 a.m. looking mighty cozy. Yeah, that was it.

We were stumped, however, when it came to explaining to Derek and Casey that we knew they were in a relationship, and that we were sorta kinda okay with it. But, if they want to be together and they didn't feel like they could bestow (yeah, I said bestow, that's a big LAWYER word if you ask me) on us their "secret" well, that was just okay. Of course it hurt that Casey felt she could not tell me, but I had to let her come to me. Even if there was a little tiny voice in my head convincing me otherwise.

So now as they are standing in front of us, hand in hand, eyes wandering around the room, looking nervous as hell – two years later – (that part kind of gets me) there could only be one thing they want to tell us, and we were more than ready to hear it.

"Mom, George, we have something to tell you." Casey started and then rushed out, "And before we tell you please don't judge us. Because we love you, and we won't be able to do this if you don't support us."

"Oh, honey, me and Georgie fully support you guys going out." I said calmly.

She sighs, "Good." Then her-and Derek's- eyes get really wide. "You know? All this time! Why didn't you say anything? Keeping this secret that I thought we were keeping was hard enough. Now this!"

George and I stood up from our position on the couch as George spoke,

"I'm just glad we don't have to pretend like we don't know anymore. _That_ is what you call hard. All the hushed voices and the sneaking around, let me tell you it get's old. But, you know about that! I'm so glad it's off my chest."

We walked away leaving our children in complete shock, staring at us like we were crazy. But, obviously, we were anything _**BUT**_,

We are the smartest the people they know!

* * *

Don't forget to check out All We Need Is Love?, sequal to The Truth.! Thanks. Laura.


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